Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was set to leave for Saudi Arabia on Wednesday for “an international conference in al-Ula,” media outlets reported.
Details of the event are unknown, but Fidan will then travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). His visit comes at a time of breakneck developments regarding the Palestine-Israel conflict as the U.S. seeks to convince Hamas, through threats mainly, to accept a peace plan announced by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Fidan’s successor in the National Intelligence Organization (MIT), Ibrahim Kalın, was in Qatar on Tuesday and Wednesday to join Doha’s mediation efforts with Hamas about the plan.
Earlier, the Turkish Foreign Ministry joined other countries in issuing a joint statement about the Gaza plan. The statement is an affirmation of commitment to work with the United States to “end the war in Gaza through a comprehensive deal that ensures unrestricted delivery of sufficient humanitarian aid to Gaza, no displacement of the Palestinians, the release of hostages, a security mechanism that guarantees the security of all sides, full Israeli withdrawal, rebuilding of Gaza and creation a path for just peace on the basis of the two-state solution, under which Gaza is fully integrated with the West Bank in a Palestinian state."
Media outlets reported that Fidan would consult with his counterparts in Saudi Arabia and the UAE about a cease-fire and peace in Gaza. He will also highlight the importance of supporting the Syrian government for stability and development in Türkiye’s neighbor.
On Wednesday, Fidan had a phone call with his Italian counterpart, Antonio Tajani. The conversation focused on efforts to achieve a cease-fire and peace in the Palestinian enclave, the Turkish diplomatic sources said, without providing further details.
Tajani said he had a long phone conversation with Fidan. "We support the mediation efforts of Türkiye and other regional partners to convince Hamas to accept the peace plan. It is time to end the hostilities, ensure humanitarian assistance to the civilian population and promote a lasting political solution that provides for the establishment of the Palestinian state," he wrote on X.
He said both Italy and Türkiye were closely following the Global Sumud Flotilla, which is headed to Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid and break the ongoing blockade, and that the priority was avoiding escalation.
Fidan also spoke with his Spanish counterpart, Jose Manuel Albares, over the phone on Wednesday.
The conversation focused on efforts to achieve a cease-fire and peace in Gaza, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.
The call took place days after U.S. President Donald Trump, at a White House press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, unveiled a 20-point plan to end Israel's war on Gaza.
